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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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..,«;%&@¶# SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# AND A GIFT SHOP. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# CONSIDERED POOR. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# %% #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## %% %% ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# ««««««« % % ««««««« #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ %% %% ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# %% #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# LIT FROM BEHIND. #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# %% #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ %% %% ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# ««««««« % % ««««««« #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## %% %% ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# %% #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ FLOOR. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ BECOME STILL. ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## %% ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# %% %% #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ««««««« % % ««««««« ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# %% %% #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## %% ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND #¶@&%;«,..
...,«;%&@¶ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¶@&%;«,...
..,«;%&@¶# THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? #¶@&%;«,..
.,«;%&@¶## ##¶@&%;«,.
..,«;%&@¶# I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. #¶@&%;«,..
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